Automatic acetylene generator



Jan. 8, 1929. A 1,698,645

E. MENZ AUTOMATIC ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed Dec. 18, 1926 Patented Jan,8, l.

EMIL" MENZ, OF 'BERLIN-FRIEDEIWAU,

AUTOMATIC AonrYLnnE- enivnunroa.

Application filed December 18, 1926; Serial N0.'155,7 12, and in GermanyNovemberiw, 1925. a

This invention relates to an automatic acetlene as enerator otthewater-to carbide.

type and of the kind composed of two communicating water tanks in one ofwhlch a gas bell isarranged to float while the other con tains a gasgenerating chamber, a gas dellvery' pipe which leads from the generatingchain er to the gas spaceunder the bell andwhich risesvertically throughthe latter, being pro vided with a valve which is controlled by the belland which, when closed thereby causes the gas to flow through a by-passinto the bell under increased pressure. In a known device of this typethe normal delivery pipe is provided with a stop cock arranged outsidethe bell and operated by a device on the latter, and the by-pass isformed by an auxiliary delivery pipe arranged separately from the normalone, the gas being in each instance delivered into the water spacethrough caps arranged over and concentrically with the pipes.

The object of the present inventionis to simplify the arrangement andprovide a more 7 sensitive valve arrangement which only requires a veryslight movement of the bell for its operation, and the inventionconsists essentially in theprovision of a vertically movable valveelementarranged inside the bell and adapted to cooperate with the nozzleof the delivery pipe and keep the latter normally closed, said valvebeing normally disconnected from the bell, means being provided wherebythe bell, at a given point of elevation, acts on the valve for openingand reclosing the same. This arrangement ensures the opening andreclosing of the valve by a movement of the bell through the extent of afew millimeters and removes a defect which is quite common in theautomatic acetylene generators at present in use, viz, that ofinertness, the gas generation being slow to start as well as to cease sothat oxygen is wasted at the commencement of an operation while adangerous escape of acetylene gas occurs after the operation.

As the pipe opens direct into the gas space, the by-pass can be arrangedconcentrically with the same pipe, apertures being provided in thelatter through which the gas enters the by-pass when the valve isclosed. In this manner a very simple arrangement is obtained.

The invention is illustrated in the accomfloating bell 7) which risesandtallswith the gas pressure. The tank 'c containsa gas gen-Gl'tttlOXlCllZtIl'lbQTlll the 'form ofavesseliz' whichfis inverted overthe carbide cage g andwhich communicates through pipes h-and' with thegas 'ClGll'VB'IY pipe The water tends to rise through the chamber 2'into contact with the carbide, the-pressure of the gen- 1 erated gaskeeping it back more or less according to the gas consumption. From thehell 6, the as is led through a pipe r or to the purifier and thencethrough the chamber 6 to the place of consumption.

According to the invention, a valve V is provided for closing thedelivery pipe is, and this valve is controlled by the hell 6 whichcloses the valve on rising and opens the same on descending. When thepipe is thus closed owing to interrupted gas-consumption, the gas is ledthrough a by-pass 8 into the water space under the bell b where it hasto suppress a water column'of the depth S. The resistance of this Watercolumn increases the pressure in the chamber 9 and causes i the water torecede rapidly from the carbide so as to stop the gas generation. Assoon as the valve V is reopened by the bell Z2 owing to renewed gasconsumption, theopressure will be relieved, and the water will rapidlyreascend into contact with the carbide so as to restart the gasgeneration.

The pipe is rises vertically through the bell from a counter-pressurechamber finto which the pipe 12 is led. The by-pass s is concentric withthe pipe and communicates with the latter at its upper end at B,'thelower endopening into the water space at the distance S from the waterhead. The valve V has its seat on the upper end of the pipe 74 and iscarried by a sleeve 0 arranged concentrically with the pipes is and 8,air vents being provided' at the upper end of the sleeve. The latter,which closes the valve by gravity, is nor 'mally supported on adouble-armed lever H which cooperates with a ring R carried by the hellI). As the bell descends, the ring R engages and rocks the lever so asto raise the sleeve C and open the valve; As the bell rises the ring islifted off the lever so that the sleeve is allowed to sink and close thepipe 70.

The rapid fluctuations of the Water surface in the gas generationchamber 9 has the further advantage that the residual lime Will beeffectively washed away from the carbide so that on the one hand theWater Will have immediate access to the carbide and so that on the otherhand there Will be no belated generation of gas by Water-retainingdeposits.

I claim: v 1. In an automatlc acetylene gas generator of the characterdescribed, the combination with a gas bell and With a gas delivery pipeWhich rises vertically through the bell and opens direct into the gasspace of the latter, of

a vertically movable valve element arranged in the gas space of the belland adapted to cooperate with the nozzle of the pipe and'keep itnormally closed, said valve being normally disconnected from the bell,and controlling means cooperating with the bell and enabling the latter,at a given point of elevation, to act on said valve for opening andreclosing the same a I 2. 'A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein thecontrolling means comprise a ring carried by the vgas bell, a sleevecarrying the valve element and arranged concentrically with the gasdelivery p'ipe,and a double-armed lever pivoted to saidpipe so as tosupport the sleeve With one arm and bear against said ring With theother arm.

3. The structure claimed in claim 1 in combination With a sleevearranged concentrically With the gas delivery pipe and forming a tightclosure With the upper end thereof, the delivery pipe being formed Withlateral apertures through which it communicates With said sleeve'so asto feed the gas through the latter when the upper end of the pipe isclosed.

EMIL MENZ.

